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Scouts: One Amazing Summer Camp 2013

One amazing summer kicked off last week with Summer Camp, an awesome adventure in the Yorkshire Dales.

Arriving on site for the first time, scouts were struck by the picturesque setting of the camp, with the river Wharfe flowing close to the campsite and the beautiful valley stretching out to the east.

First up for scouts was the challenge of quickly bonding as a patrol to pitch tents, make boundaries, connect up the stoves and get set for the week ahead. Before the end of the evening, the temptation to cool off in the river was too much and the water slide was out!

Sunday was spent getting to know each other a little bit more, with several teamwork challenges, as well as archery and shooting on site, before getting back into the river to cool off. Our night line certainly provided some fun, dipping in and out of the river! Scouts also enjoyed home-made burgers for lunch and enjoyed being able to dine alfresco in fantastic surroundings.

Monday was our first activity day offsite and the sun shone for us as we headed out to Lightwater Valley for some fun in the theme park. After a morning of stomach churning entertainment, scouts packed on to the Ultimate (Europe's longest roller coaster), almost taking over the whole train with our Green T-Shirts. There was still time to be turned upside down again as the bravest among the group were thrown into a Whirlwind on the theme park's newest ride and braved the Eagle's claw.

The next big adventure of the week was a walk to Grassington, the motivation was an ice cream at the end. The walk itself was unfortunately delayed by some thundery showers, but after a morning radio quiz, a game show style activity with scouts answering from their tents via radio providing lots of fun with rounds such as name the accent (with the leaders doing some terrible impressions), the weather improved and scouts were able to set off in patrols hunting down their 99.

On Wednesday, scouts braved How Stean gorge and Goydon Pot, both activities providing challenge in equal measure. The caving experience in Goydon Pot was terrifying for those who don't like tight spaces as scouts squeezed through the tunnels on their hands and knees. The gorge too was a challenge, starting with the 45 foot abseil into the gorge and the challenge of clambering up the stream over the rocks to play various games devised by our instructors, generally designed to get everyone wet. It's fair to say scouts had a brilliant time at How Stean.

Scouts also faced the challenge of Aerial Xtreme, which was a fantastic chance to monkey around on the high ropes course, although for some it was a bit of a challenge as some of the course was designed to test your head for heights, whether it was taking the leap of faith, crossing the wobbly bridge or zipping down the slide at the end.

The last day of camp was much more chilled with scouts spending the morning in Ilkley, buying presents to take home and exploring the historic town, before heading to Ilkley Lido to cool off in the afternoon. After the Lido came the traditional huge end of camp BBQ and campfire, before scouts spent the night sleeping under the stars.

Scouts left the site on Saturday with so many new memories and new experiences, with highlights including everything from our day at the gorge, to having an awesome time with new friends, to the Sunday morning jog and dip into the river, to cooking a meal for themselves for the first time. Scouts formed memories which will live on with them for years to come!

We've uploaded photos to our photos zone, there will be more following soon, and even the odd video on our Youtube channel. You can also take a look around our gorgeous campsite with our panorama to the left.

Summer Camp 2013 was made possible by adult volunteers and young leaders offering their spare time to support the event, working as a team to plan and run the camp. Find out about how you can become one of the growing number of adults who give some of their spare time support scouting in Washington. You don't have to make a weekly commitment, but a couple of hours a month can go a long way to making a difference to the lives of young people in the area.